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Central project to develop Haryana, Punjab towns
Work without fear or favour, PM tells
BJP for contesting alone in Haryana
Threat of fresh attack leads to red alert in W. Bengal, N-E
Minister accused of links with ULFA
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SC reserves judgement on CVC Act
SC raps Centre, states on ‘failure’ of anganwadi scheme
SC reprieve for Jharkhand, Bihar teachers
Anniversary of Battle of Tithwal celebrated
Labour ministry to prepare note on wage board
Cabinet approves food-for-work programme
Chief Engineer suspended
Kanchi seer’s NGO to set up schools
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Central project to develop Haryana, Punjab towns
New Delhi, October 13 The scheme, Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas, which is being given final shape by the Union Ministry of Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation, hopes to render cities less attractive for any large-scale migration of population by developing the second-rung towns. “We are willing to fund projects but we do not want to prescribe or impose projects on the states because we want the process to be participatory in nature... we want them to be stakeholders in all of this”, Union Minister of State for Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation Selja said. She said all projects would be “demand-driven” in that the proposal had to come from the states after which the ministry would release the funds on need basis. Advocating a “bottom-up” approach, the minister emphasised that the urban local bodies could propose projects for which they would want funds from the ministry. The projects could pertain to sanitation, night shelters, housing for economically weaker sections or slum development. “The objective is two-fold... to improve basic amenities in rural areas and to avert large-scale migration so that pressure is eased on the cities”, she explained. Ms Selja said: “The ministry is working on a similar scheme to meet the sanitation and health needs in slums in small and medium towns of Punjab”. Such a programme, she explained, was warranted because the infrastructure in important cities like Chandigarh, Ludhiana or Jalandhar was proving to be inadequate and the smaller towns were not having the basic amenities. The minister said preliminary discussions in this regard had taken place with the urban local bodies of different cities and non-government organisations. |
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Work without fear or favour, PM tells secretaries
New Delhi, October 13 “The civil service should be accountable, effective and transparent in its functioning. It should be proactive and produce results”, Dr Manmohan Singh said in his first-ever address to 137 secretaries of different ministries and departments. He stressed the importance of a “fair, just and equitable” system of governance. He advised the secretaries to feel free to meet him directly whenever they wished to draw his attention to important matters of policy. Urging senior officials to work without fear or favour, Dr Manmohan Singh said, “You will naturally be advising your Minister in matters of policy formulation. You should record your views and offer your suggestions in policy making in the best interests of the country and in accordance with highest standards of professional integrity and excellence. Whenever you feel that certain issues need to be discussed further and certain matters need to be brought to my notice, you are free to see me. I have instructed my office that your requests in this regard should be given priority”. The Prime Minister said that he expects each secretary to apply his mind to the problems of his sector, identify the relevant policy framework, the appropriate regulatory mechanism and the required legislative measures. “The initiatives will have to come from you. You will have my full support. We need to move from expenditures to outcomes”, he told the secretaries. The key issues of governance touched by the Prime Minister were: (a) improving the quality of public sector management and core sector performance (including power, coal, ports & shipping, roads, telecom and railways); (b) making social sector spending and delivery more effective (especially in health and education); (c) fostering a “second green revolution” in agriculture; (d) ensuring that growth generates employment opportunities; (e) internal security concerns are addressed sensitively yet effectively (especially in Jammu and Kashmir, North-Eastern states and in regions affected by Naxalite activity); and administration is made more efficient, effective, transparent and responsive in addressing the needs and expectations of the people. |
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BJP for contesting alone in Haryana
New Delhi, October 13 Based on the overwhelming demand from party workers to go alone in the early next year poll in Haryana, the BJP leadership has “formally” decided to go it alone, BJP sources told The Tribune here today. “This will benefit the party in the long run in the state, though the party may not be able to make big in the poll,” they said, adding “aligning with the INLD will result in double blow for the party”. “Not only the party will be the victim of anti-Chautala feeling and anti-incumbency factor, but also severely damage its future prospective in the state,” the sources said. However, the sources admitted that biggest impediment in the party’s “go it alone” strategy would be the pressure from friendly allies like Mr Badal and Mr Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party. Analysing the present political situation, especially in the wake of the decision of the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) to merge with the Congress, the sources pointed out that although the party did not do exceedingly well in the recent Lok Sabha poll, had managed to reach out to people in every nook and corner, especially rural areas. “The party has established good contact at every booth level and had returned a percentage of little over 17 per cent votes in the Lok Sabha poll going alone...which is a good indication for the party,” they said. Further they said the party which had been branded as a party of “urbans” had now got some good Jat leaders into the party fold like Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan, Capt Abhimanyu and Mr Ranjit Singh. In this context on October 17 there is a rally of the BJP state unit at Rohtak, which is expected to be participated by some top Central leaders, is being tipped to a show of strength of the party ahead of the elections. Meanwhile, BJP Central leader in charge of Haryana Shivraj Singh Chauhan said “a formal decision has already been taken by the party to go alone in Haryana”. He, however, refused to comment on whether or not the party would reconsider aligning with the INLD. Meanwhile, the BJP Executive Meeting is likely to be held in November either in Patna or Ranchi during which party Central leaders will take a fresh look at the political scenario in the country. |
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Sharmila new Censor Board chief
New Delhi, October 13 Official sources said, Tagore's appointment, honorary in nature, would be for three years. Tagore, who has acted with élan in Hindi and Bengali films, assumed charge immediately. Earlier in the day, Kher, who completed one year as the Censor Board chief, was asked by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to step down but the noted film personality showed no inclination to put in his papers. Kher was appointed by the previous NDA government to head the Central Board of Film Certification which is commonly known as the Censor Board. The sources close to Kher said, the actor had received a communication from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry asking him to step down. They said the actor would not resign as he considered the government's decision "unjust." They said Kher was not given any reason for the "surprise directive" and the actor felt that the directive was tantamount to questioning his credibility. Indicating that the actor might also move court, the sources said Kher would make public his position tomorrow. Reacting to the government's move, the BJP said it was motivated by the UPA's "policy of vendetta and intolerance" in the name of "detoxification". BJP spokesman Arun Jaitley said the government's action amounted to setting a "wrong tradition" following up on "removal" of Governors and changes in the field of education. He said there were some positions which had no link to politics or ideology. "The Censor Board Chairmanship is one such post." Mr Jaitley said though the actor was appointed during the NDA rule, "he has no ostensible political background." The Congress, however, refused to be drawn into the controversy over Kher being asked to step down but said the party was against "cultural policing". Asked about the government's move, Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said she was not aware of any such decision taken by the government. "We are not aware of it. "If such a decision has been taken, it is purely administrative which the government must have taken for reasons best known to it," she said. |
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Threat of fresh attack leads to red alert
Kolkata, October 13 According to an intelligence report, about 900 dreaded terrorists trained by the ISI of Pakistan and the DGFI of Bangladesh had sneaked into several north-eastern states, including Assam, Tripura and Manipur recently. Some of the terrorists had now entered Bengal to create trouble during the forthcoming festive season. Major-Gen Shadek Hossain Rumi had been authorised by the ISI to lead the operation in Bengal and the N-E, according to the state Home Department sources. The state Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, said they had some specific information that ISI terrorists from across Bangladesh would try to disturb peace during the festive months in the region. Accordingly, the police had been asked to take all precautionary measures. He said some 20 platoons of the additional paramilitary force like the CRPF, BSF and CISF had been deployed at all vulnerable areas in the state, particularly in north Bengal districts. Mr Bhattacharjee said the recent blast at Dimapur (Assam) had been a cause of concern for all states in the region. The ISI-backed terrorist group, Al-Qaida, had already claimed its involvement in the incident. The Home Ministry officials now visiting West Bengal and the North-East to make an on-the-spot study of the law and order situation there, yesterday met the state Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary and the DGP at a meeting. Though the Bangladesh government had denied the existence of terrorists camps in that country, the Home Ministry officials, now in the city, specifically identified 195 camps in Bangladesh where ULFA, KLO NSCN, TTVF and other Indian terrorists had been undergoing training by the ISI and Al-Qaida. |
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Minister accused of links with ULFA
Guwahati, October 13 State Tribal Affairs Minister, Baharat Narah, is in the midst of a controversy after the police picked up his personal secretary yesterday for interrogation. Recently a leader of ULFA, D. Gohain, was arrested by the police. He reportedly confessed that the minister had links with ULFA. Subsequently, the police arrested Congress worker M. Handique and seized from him documents which reportedly indicated the minister’s link with ULFA. A top official of the special branch of the state police disclosed that M. Handique was a frequent visitor to the minister's office . This was reportedly admitted by the personal secretary of the minister too. Both D. Gohain and M. Handique were arrested in connection with the infamous Dhemaji blast in the state on August 15 this year, which claimed 13 lives, including those of 10 children. On being contacted by this correspondent, Mr Baharat Narah admitted that M. Handique used to come to his office. But he denied having any knowledge about his links with ULFA. The police and the intelligence, however, are examining the veracity of the minister’s statement. Interestingly, state CPM Secretary Hemen Das, whose party is a supporting partner to the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, alleged that the state Congress had always had links with ULFA. State CPI Secretary Mr Pramod Gogoi also endorsed the views expressed by Mr Das. |
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SC reserves judgement on CVC Act
New Delhi, October 13 The retaining of the provision in the legislation even after it was struck down by the Supreme Court in the famous Jain-Hawala case judgement in 1998, would require prior sanction from the government for prosecuting an officer above the rank of Joint Secretary in corruption cases. After a marathon arguments on the legality of Section 26(c) of the CVC Act on the “single directive”, a Bench of Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, Mr Justice D.M. Dharmadhikari and Mr Justice Tarun Chatterjee reserved its verdict. The “single directive” was initially notified through executive order in 1996 by the then Congress Government, preventing the CBI from proceeding against the senior officers without prior permission of the Government in corruption cases. Interestingly, the UPA government supported the retaining of the provision in the Act with Solicitor General G.E. Vahanvati contending that it would protect honest officers from “frivolous” litigations. A PIL challenging the provision was initially filed by Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy, but the court later had appointed senior advocate Anil Diwan as amicus curiea to conduct the case. Diwan said that retaining of single directive in the CVC Act would have grave consequences in the fight against corruption and render the Prevention of Corruption Act as a “dead letter” statute. He said that proper parliamentary procedure was not followed for incorporating the “single directive” in the Act as it was done on recommendation of the “Select Committee” and then the Bill was unanimously passed by Parlaiment. It showed that all political parties had “come together” to get the Act passed with such a provision in the face of it being struk down by the Supreme Court in Jain-Hawala case judgement after finding it to be an impedment for the CBI in proceeding against corrupt officials, Diwan said. |
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SC raps Centre, states on ‘failure’ of anganwadi scheme
New Delhi, October 13 After perusing a study report of a two-member court commission on the implementation of the scheme, a Bench of Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, Mr Justice D.M. Dhramadhikari and Mr Justice Tarun Chatterjee said: “The report presents a glooming picture both in regard to the operation of the sanctioned anganwadi centres in some states, especially UP, Bihar and Jharkhand”. “The norms of the Government of India provide for one anganwadi centre for a population of 1,000 and 700 in the tribal areas... and it is not in dispute that according to the norms, there should be approximately 14 lakh anganwadi centres but nearly six lakh centres have been sanctioned and many of these are not even operational”, it said. Giving the Union Government last opportunity to file its responses on the implementation of the ICDS within two weeks, the court said failing it the 12-point guidelines spelt out by it in the order would become effective. The direction came on a public interest litigation (PIL) of the People’s Union of Civil Liberties on “failure” of the states to implement the ICDS even when the provision of huge funds were made every year by the Centre for the scheme. The court pointed out that despite the direction far back on November 28, 2001, no reply had been filed by the Union Government. PUCL counsel Colin Gonsalves pointed out that a report of the commission on the implementation of the scheme in various states was discouraging. The Bench reminded the Centre that on April 29 an opportunity was given to it to file an affidavit within three months, specify the time limit to set up the remaining anganwadi centres functional and make available the supply of nutritious food to every child as per the norms fixed way back in 1991, but it was unfortunate that the court was yet to receive the Centre’s response. “In absence of the affidavit, we could have straightaway issued the directions for the sanction of remaining anganwadi centres and for increasing the norm of Re 1 to Rs 2 for the supply of food, but having regard to the totality of the circumstances, we grant one final opportunity to the Centre to file affidavit within two weeks”, the court said. |
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SC reprieve for Jharkhand, Bihar teachers
New Delhi, October 13 A Bench of Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice D.M. Dharmadhikari directed the Bihar and Jharkhand Governments to absorb them as regular staff in 40
colleges spread over the two states. The court gave four months time to the governments of the two states to complete the regularisation process. |
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Anniversary of Battle of Tithwal celebrated Somewhere in the Western Sector, October 13 The battalion’s valour earned it one Param Vir Chakra (Lance Naik Karam Singh), seven Vir Chakras and 13 Mention in Despatches in a single night of fighting. This battle is regarded as the best saga of the Indian Army’s post-Independence history. The battalion has a history written in the blood of its brave warriors. It has to its credit two Param Vir Chakras, one Victoria Cross, five Mahavir Chakras, 26 Vir Chakras, one Ashok Chakra, one Shaurya Chakra, four Sena Medals and a host of other awards which add up to a phenomenal 339 gallantry awards. The 4 Mechanised Infantry, which was known as 1 Sikh battalion before it was mechanised, is the most highly decorated Army unit in the Commonwealth of Nations. It was raised by Ensign J. Brayser as the Regiment of Ferozepore on July 30, 1846. It is because of this that this unit has earned the nickname of The Ferozepore Sikhs. It was the first unit ever to be airlifted for a military operation in 1923 to crush the Kurdish rebellion in Iraq. The battalion also has the unique distinction of being the first unit to be airlifted to Srinagar to counter the Pakistani raiders on October 27, 1947. This day, incidentally, is celebrated as Infantry Day by the Indian Army, courtesy the battalion’s action. The 4 Mechanised Infantry is part of the Indian Army’s fearsome Mechanised Infantry Regiment. The Chief of the Army Staff awarded this battalion the title of ‘Bravest Of The Brave’ on January 15, 1997. The celebrations included a solemn wreath laying ceremony at the Battalion War Memorial to pay homage to its martyrs. This was followed by a special sainik sammelan and a Barakhana. A large number of serving and retired officers and soldiers of this proud battalion attended the ceremonies. The Commanding Officer of the battalion, Colonel Ajay Chauhan, on behalf of all ranks of the unit pledged to maintain the glorious traditions of valour and professionalism of the battalion.
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Labour ministry to prepare note on wage board
New Delhi, October 13 The minister told a delegation of leaders of employees unions of news agencies and newspapers that he had received demands for wage revision by mediapersons and non-journalists and action had been initiated in this direction. The minister agreed with demands for the revision in the wage structure of journalists and non-journalists, delegation members said. The delegation included representatives from All-India Newspapers Employees Federation, Hindustan Times Workers Union, UNI Workers Union, PTI Workers Union and Indian Express Karmachari Sangh. Mr Ola said he had instructed the officials to prepare a note on the new wage board. |
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Cabinet approves food-for-work programme
New Delhi, October 13 The Cabinet decisions were, however, not officially announced, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is understood to have directed Union ministers not make any official statement in view of the Maharashtra elections. Sources indicated that the several backward districts in the states of Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are likely to benefit from the programme.
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Chief Engineer suspended
Jaipur, October 13 The woman expert had come to Jaipur from Mumbai. Mr Karnawat, who has been functioning as Technical Member of this board, met the woman in the morning on September 16 and allegedly tried to molest her, but when she started crying, he ran from the room hurriedly. On lodging the complaint with state administration, an inquiry was ordered into the matter and Mr Karnawat was prima facie found guilty of misconduct. Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against Mr Karnawat.
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Kanchi seer’s NGO to set up schools
New Delhi, October 13 The Voluntary Health Education and Rural Development Society (VHERDS), set up by the religious leader in 1985, will identify the villages in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttaranchal, which lack educational facilities. The society would set up small schools with adequate infrastructure, a release said. It said the Kanchi seer had recently chosen Ashok K. Chauhan, Chairman of Amity University, to take care of the organisation’s activities in northern India. The society would also impart vocational training besides offering scholarships to bright students. |
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